Saddle for bicycles



(No Model.)

J. L. YOST 8: O. J. MOORE.

SADDLE FOR BIGYCLES.

ATTEST.

ITE

ant

JOSEPH L. YOST AND CHARLES J. MOORE, OF TOLEDO, ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO SAID YOST, AND HENRY A. LOZIER, OF CLEVELAND,

OHIO.

SADDLE FOR BICYCLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 448,469, dated March 17, 1891. Application filed December 2, 1890- Serial No. 373,340. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it inert concern:

Be it known that we, JOSEPH L. Yostr and CHARLES J. MOORE, citizens of the United States, residing at Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Saddles for Bicycles and Like Vehiclesyand we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

Thislnvention relatesto certain new and useful improvements in saddles for bicycles and like vehicles; and it consists substantially in such features of arrangement, construction, and combinations of parts, as will hereinafter be more particularly described, and pointed out in the claims.

The invention has for its object to provide a saddle of the character referred to which shall enable the saddle-leather to be readily drawn taut or tightened whenever the same shall have become loosened, stretched, or distended from the weight of the rider.

2 5 The invention has for its further object to provide a saddle for bicycles and like vehicles which shall be capable of upward or downward inclination either forwardly or rearwardly of the point of support, so as to adapt 0 itself to the comfort of the rider.

The invention has for its further object to enable the saddle to be so adjusted as that either a very elastic or a very stiff and unyielding action of the same may be had, ac-

cording to the weight or requirements of the rider.

The invention has for its still further objcct to enable the spring-support of the saddle to be so shifted as that the greatest degree of rigidity or elasticity may be had either forwardly or to the rear of the seat tube or support, all as will more fully hereinafter appear when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 represents an enlarged side view of a bicycle-saddle embodying the features of our invention; and Fig. 2 is a view in plan of the, under side of the rear end of the saddle, the remaining portions being broken off.

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view taken at line 0a m, Fig. 1.

In carrying our invention into effect we provide the saddle-leather of any of the usual forms, and which leather is properly secured in place upon the stretching or tightening de- 5 5 vices which we employ. The front end of the saddle-leather has secured to its under side a suitable plate provided or formed with a hook which engages with the front end of the saddle-spring, while to the under side of said saddle-leather, at the rear end, is secured a suitable yoke, which receives and supports the rear or free end of said saddle-spring in an adjustable manner. Suitable adjusting devices are employed in connection with the yoke and saddle-spring, the tightening of which effect the tightening of the saddleleatheigas will hereinafter more fully appear. The saddlespring itself is constructed of a single piece of flat spring metal bent or shaped into a compound curve, by which, on sliding or moving the same forwardly or to the rear oft-he point of its support or attachment, the position of the saddle may be inclined either upwardly or downwardly to suit the requirements of the rider.

In connection with the saddlespring we employ a counter-spring, upon which said saddle-spring is supported, and which permits of varying the degree of elasticity of the support as well as of changing the point of elasticity from front to rear, and vice versa, all as will be more fully hereinafter under stood onreference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which-- 8 5 A represents the seat or saddle-leather, and 13 (shown in dotted lines) the plate or hook, which is secured to the under side of said seat at the front end thereof, the said hook serving to receive the front end of the saddle 9o spring 0, as shown.

To the under side of the seat or leather at the rear end is secured a yoke D, having projecting outwardly therefrom at right angles a guide or extension E, that is formed with a slot a, the said yoke also having pendent therefrom the portion b, provided with an adjusting-screw o, and being adapted to receive through it the free end of the saddle-spring G, substantially in the manner shown in the drawings.

Depending from the under side of the saddle-spring at near its rear end is a screwthreaded boss or nut 61, which receives the set-screw e, which passes down through the slot to of the extension E, and through a hole in the spring, and beneath this nut, on the lower end of the screw, is a check-nut f for tightening the screw after the proper adjustment has been made to effect the tightning of the saddle-leather. The saddle-spring C, it will be observed, is shaped or bent into a compound curve, having its front end held or engaged by the hook or plate B, while its rear end is adjustably received and held by the yoke D, and it will also be seen that the portion of the curve marked 1 is longer or greater than the portion marked 2, the purpose and intent of which will be more fully understood hereinafter.

G represents springs, which are given one bend or turn, as shown at 3, and which have their upper members passing thro ugh a clamp I'I, while the lower members thereof pass through a similar clamp I, as shown. In the the drawings, Fig. 1, the dotted lines represent the working position of the lower member of the spring G. It will be understood that instead of only giving the springs G G one bend or turn in using a flat spring a coil, spring can be used of round Wire of proper gage, and as many bends or coils may be employed as may be found desirable. The springs G G are arranged in parallelism and adjust to either side of the saddle-spring C, which also passes through the clamp H centrally or intermediate of said springs G G, as shown, and the said spring 0 rests in the concaved upper surface of a block J, located within said clamp and resting upon the upper members of springs G G, as shown. It will be seen-that by adjusting the two members of the spring G G forwardly in the clamps II and I the degree of elasticity of such springs at their bends will be lessened, and that consequently the support of-the saddle will become more rigid. On the other hand, it will be seen that by adjusting the members of said springs rearwardly in the clamps the degree of elasticity will be increased and the action of the saddle made more yielding. It will also be seen that by adjusting the clamp toward the end of the springs an increase of elasticity will be had. It will still further be seen that by reversing said springs G G to bring the bends thereof around to the back of the support for the saddle the point of yielding or elasticity may be changed or completely reversed without in any way interfering with the adjustments hereinbefore explained. Both the clamps H and I are provided with set-screws, as shown, so that the several parts may be readily tigh tened and held to theirrelative positions after being adjusted.

The operation of our invention is as follows: Whenever it is desired to draw up or tighten the saddle-leather, the set-screw e is loosened and the adjusting-screw c screwed up tightly against the nut d, depending from the lower side of the saddle- *oke at near its free end. Such action will draw or impel the yoke to move backward, and thereby tighten the leather between its fastenings at either end. Whenever it is desired to give to the saddle a downward inclination at the forward end thereof, the clamp II is loosened and the spring 0 is moved or carried back through the same. By virtue of the shape of the curved portion 1 of said spring the forward end of the saddle will be gradually lowered as said spring is carried backwardly in its seat upon the concaved block J, and whenthe desired inclination has been attained the clamp H may be again tightened by its -set screws, and the saddle will be thereby held to the position to which it may have been brought. To effect the opposite inclination of the saddle, the spring 0 is simply carried forward through the clamp H, and by virtue of the shape of the curve 2 the effect will be produced.

WVith reference to the springsGG it is evident that the nearer the weight of the rider is brought to the extremities thereof the greater will be the elasticity imparted, and therefore in order to adjust the egree of elastic action of said springs it is simply necessary to move or adjust them forwardly or backwardly within the clamps according to the degree of elasticity desired, and such adjustment can be readily effected by simply loosening the clamps, as will be obvious. The said springs can be changed around to a reverse position to that in which they are shown in the drawings, and effect substan tially the same results.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is-

1. In asaddle forbicycles and like vehicles, the spring 0, shaped into a compound curve and having depending from the same at near its rear end a screw-threaded boss or nut whichcoincides with an opening through said spring, the saddle-leather, the yoke D, formed with the slotted extension d, a set-screw passing through the slotted extension and entering the boss or nut, a check -nut for said screw, and an adjusting-screw passing through the yoke and working against said boss or nut, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a saddle for bicycles and like vehicles, the combination, with the spring 0 and springs G G, of the concaved block resting upon said latter springs, and the clamp H, having the set-screw, substantially as described.

3. In a saddle for bicycles and like vehicles, the combination, with the spring 0 and clamps II I, of the springs G G, adjustable back and forth in said. clamps, substantially as shown, and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a saddle for bicycles and like vehicles,

the combination, with the spring 0 and clamps 5 H I, of the springs G G, reversible and adj nstable back and forth in said clamps, substantially as shown, and for the purpose as set forth.

In testimony whereof we afliX our signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOS. L. YOST. CHAS. J. MOORE. \Vitnesses:

CHAS. W. BOND, E. W. TOLESTON. 

